


gaining love

by drowninginskellysin



Category: Undertale, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angsty Sans, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Papyrus being adorable, Undertail, Undertale (Pacifist)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-16 00:51:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5806918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowninginskellysin/pseuds/drowninginskellysin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>been wanting to get into writing fanfics for undertale for a while, finally got around to actually doin it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This is a story all about how....

**Author's Note:**

> gets better a few chapters in :) promise

It had all started only a few months ago, when the monsters first emerged from the Underground. It started out as a perfectly normal day. Little did you know, your life would soon change forever.

It's not as if another war begun or anything... far from it, even.

King Asgore and Queen Toriel came to our kingdom peacefully, led by Frisk-- the single human child who had freed all the monsters. Your father listened to their story in tears (it seems that your king and Asgore have being a total softie in common) and agreed to help the monsters set up a new life here. The people of your kingdom were shocked at first, but they soon decided to follow the example of your father and treat the newcomers warmly. The kingdom holds a great amount of respect for your dad.

And then he had to go and offer your hand in marriage to the queen's best friend, Sans.

\------

You're pretty sure that if it had been up to him, Sans never would have agreed to marry you. Throughout the entire process, his expression never shifted from the enormous grin he had on the day you met.   
At first, you just assumed that he could literally not move his face, but then, you met his brother Papyrus. It's strange to even think of them as brothers because they're almost total opposites. Sans spends as much time as he can doing absolutely nothing, while Papyrus acts almost as if he can't stop moving. All you remember from when you first met was his quick, "GREETINGS, HUMAN", followed by a long rant about spaghetti filled with gestures to describe his strangely violent way of cooking.

On the other hand, the first time you met Sans he basically just stood in still until prompted to say hello. Not exactly the most friendly of guys, at least not with you.

It's not as if you don't get it... even though you had always known that eventually you'd be married off to some high powered noble in an act of diplomacy, you can't say that you expected to marry a literal monster. The idea took some getting used to.

So did he.


	2. In which you encounter Papyrus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> papyrus is the cutest omg
> 
> also angst hehe

You woke up suddenly, as if shocked awake, alone in the huge bed you were supposed to be sharing with Sans. The thought of being so vulnerable next to the man who you were forced into marrying made a quick chill run up your spine. Although you had been living together in the house built for the two of you for more than a month now, you felt like you still hardly knew anything about him.

Shaking off the questions you had about Sans, you began to get ready for your day. As with any other, the first person you saw was Papyrus, Sans' brother. Ever since he had found out that you two were getting married, Papyrus had insisted on being your best friend... this evidently consisted of cooking you a lot of spaghetti and even more strangely, leading you through mazes of homemade puzzles.   
Thankfully, he eventually stopped with the puzzles when you had offered to provide him with a cooking teacher to help with his human cooking skills. You MAY have had ulterior motives in this, Papyrus' spaghetti had barely been edible when he first came to the surface... and you couldn't help but eat it whenever he made you some because of how precious and innocent he was.

This morning, Papyrus had brought you some homemade 'breakfast' lasagna, and you hungrily dove in, silently congratulating yourself for having the idea to teach him how to cook.

"GOOD MORNING, HUMAN! HOW IS THE LASAGNA?", he said, eagerly awaiting your reply.

"Mmmmm soo tasty, Papyrus", you said, mumbling through your food "....how many times do I have to tell you my name for you to stop calling me human?"

".......IT'S YOUR NICKNAME!", he finally said, beaming. You sighed. Then you had an idea.

"Well then, since you've given me a nickname", you started, smiling teasingly "then I should give one to you! What do you think about that, Pappy?"

"ERMMMM..." He began to blush, rendered speechless.

"well, looks like she managed to guess your old nickname without even trying."

Both startled, you and Papyrus turned towards the door, realizing Sans was there, watching the two of you.

"HELLO BROTHER!", shouted Papyrus, quickly recovering from the shock of his childhood memories being suddenly brought to the surface. "HOW ARE YOU??? I BET YOU JUST GOT OUT OF BED, YOU LAZYBONES!"

"heh, you got me, PAPPY. guess i was BONE-tired."

"OHMYGOD SANS I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU--"...

One of the things you had noticed about Sans was that whenever his friends were around, he never seemed to stop with the skeleton-based puns. When you first noticed, you hoped him joking was a sign he was warming up to you-- after all, spending the rest of your life married to someone who hated you didn't seem like the most appealing thing in the world.

Now, it just makes you smile outwardly while you begin grimacing internally. "Alright, I think I'm going to go take a bath", you say quietly, unsure that Sans or Papyrus could hear you over Papyrus shouting at Sans about how bad his jokes are. You think you see Sans' expression shift as you walk past him, but quickly dismiss it as impossible when he continued teasing Papyrus with his seemingly endless knowledge of puns. 'Well', you think to yourself, 'I guess Sans and I at least have something in common...'. Namely, indulging (then teasing) his brother.


	3. Baths aren't always sexy...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .... sometimes they're filled with shitty memories and tears.

As you ran the bath, you begun to think more about your current circumstances. Unable to control your thoughts, you find your mind wandering to the memories you have concerning Sans. One particular conversation you had with Frisk solidifies itself in your consciousness. They had met Sans not long before you, a complete stranger, so you had thought that they would be able to help you get closer with the man who was to become your husband. But they didn't want to talk about him. All Frisk had ended up saying was in explanation of Sans' inability to sincerely connect with you. They had simply said:

_"He sees himself losing everything."_

You had no idea of what that meant, but the way Frisk had said it made you act incredibly carefully around Sans.

Unconsciously, you began to trace circles in the water with your fingertips, wondering idly about why those words had resonated with you. Losing everything. How could--?

Suddenly, images from years ago assault you.

\------

_Screams rang out from all sides as your carriage was assaulted. Chaos ensued as the guards there to protect you and your mother moved to defend against the group of mercenaries attacking the carriage. Thank God she was there to pick you up in a protective hug. Your eight-year old form clung, eyes squeezed shut, to your mom as you tried to tune out the sounds of the battle raging around you, her embrace keeping you grounded through the cries of pain you heard ringing through the woods around you._

**"Ah!"**

_A single gasp woke you to cruel reality. Your eyes opened to the most horrifying sight you could imagine. Blood was spilling fast from your mother's chest; her mouth agape in the shape of the letter 'o'. Her eyes moved from the metal poking through her to your trembling form, tears beginning to well up in her eyes as she choked out, **"...B-be *cough* good, my child".**_

_All you could do was sit there, eyes overflowing with tears, covered in the blood that kept flowing from your mother's chest. It seemed like you spent an eternity watching the life drain from her before silence fell._

The rest of your memory from that night was a blur.

\------

You knew it, that feeling. The feeling of losing everything. Knowledge that you were about to die ringing in your bones. The helplessness you felt through your fear. She had been right there, right with you, and still, she was taken from you.

You opened your eyes, realizing that they were filled with tears.


	4. Finally, some feels.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you're there, sans is there....
> 
> what more could you ask for?

That evening, the burning questions you had for Sans kept you up long past midnight. Who could Sans have lost? Maybe his parents, you reasoned... except that Papyrus had told you he doesn't remember anything about any parents. You realize that you have no idea whether skeletons even have parents. It would make sense for them to, but god only knows how little about Sans and Papyrus actually made sense to you. In fact, the more you tried to work this out in your mind the less it made any sense at all. 

"Damnit", you pouted, eventually realizing this thought process was leading you nowhere. 

Frustrated, you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to push all thought out of your mind and go to sleep. Most nights you drifted off easily, but not tonight, problems always unsettled you, and this was no exception. Desperately trying to find a position comfortable enough to shut down your brain, you squirmed under the covers, unintentionally tangling your body up in your sheets and comforter. You struggled to get out of there, feeling like an idiot dealing with this crap when you should be asleep. Defeated, you slumped facedown on your mattress-- the only question in your head how you had managed to get in this position in the first place.

_"---ugggh-"_

Was that moaning from down the hall?

OH GOD. You blushed, your thoughts somewhere you wouldn't care to admit--

_**"---aaaaAAAAAHHH"** _

A cry of enormous anguish woke you to the certainty there was no way the uh, _thing_ you were thinking of, was actually happening. Your cheeks flushed a little as your head filled with worry. A third cry filled you with determination. You had to see what was happening to Sans, what if he was in pain? Your cocoon seemed to slide off easily as you practically leaped from your bed, running down the hallway to the guest bedroom Sans had claimed as his own. 

The sight that greeted you was nothing you would have ever known to expect.

The whole room was bathed in a cyan glow that seemed to be coming from the skeleton, who was floating a few feet above his bed, struggling against an unseen force holding him laying vertically spread eagle as he twitched and screamed into nothing. His eye sockets were shut tight, leaking cyan tears; his constant grin twisted into an expression of incredible pain.

It was all you could do to stand there, hand still on the door, staring at the horrible sight. Images of your mother dying flashed through your head, the helplessness you felt then beginning to suffocate you once again.

What you assumed to be the magic holding him began to swirl violently through the room, distorting the cyan light enveloping the place. The chill from it cut right through you, and you watched as it began to tear the bedroom apart. All the nick-nacks on the mantlepiece were knocked to the floor, books thrown from their shelves, but this did nothing to wake Sans from whatever nightmare was consuming him.

Suddenly, you felt determination rush through you. No way were you just going to watch helplessly again. You had to try to wake him. It took what seemed like forever for you to get to him through this magical storm. You grabbed his ankle, all you could reach, through the magic surrounding him which resisted your touch as if you were trying to swim up a waterfall.

"Sans? Sans! **SANS!"**

You began shouting his name, trying to shake him out of his nightmare. But nothing seemed to be change. You felt tears coming to your eyes at the sting of the magic cutting at your wrist. But you stayed determined. You forced your tired body to climb onto his bed, and with a burst of strength you didn't know you had in you, forced yourself into the barrier keeping him in the air, embracing Sans in an attempt to ground him. You tried calling his name again, desperately trying to keep sane as the magic clawed at your body.

_"....s-s-Sans!"_

Finally, something seemed to shift. The magic surrounding him began to slow until it was like he was surrounded in a bubble. The rushing of the gale, which had now effectively tore his room to shreds came to a stop, and the cyan light radiating throughout the room receded until only a small ball of light remained, centered in Sans' chest. Ever so slowly, the magic lowered him back onto his mattress. Your body, still wrapped around his, went with it.

Exhausted now adrenaline no longer pumped through your system, you fell asleep as soon as your body collapsed onto the mattress.


	5. what did i do last night???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SANSY BOY

Sans woke up, feeling... peaceful? That couldn't be right. He couldn't remember the last time he hadn't woken up shaking, in a cold sweat, the feeling of his world being turned to dust haunting him. He looked up at the patterns the sun made through his window and smiled, and for the first time in a long time was almost happy. He had closed his eyes and begun to stretch his bones when he heard you give a little moan.

_Oh God._

Sans shot up into a sitting position, finally taking in the scene around him. Your body curled up beside his, arms still wrapped around his waist, forehead just brushing his ribcage. His bedclothes torn, across his room, which he finally realized, looked like a tornado had come through. He shuddered, remembering. He had finally succumbed to sleep in his bedroom after a month of living here with you.

He had just been taking naps at Papyrus' house whenever he could, taking a shortcut through his closet whenever he had the opportunity. Last night he had decided that it would be fine if he slept here just _one_ time. After all, 20 minute naps hardly kept him well rested. Surely he was tired enough for a dreamless sleep?

' _Damn it all_ ', he thought to himself. He should have known not to listen to himself when he was that BONE-tired.

He was so angry with himself that he _almost_ didn't chuckle at his pun. Heh. Classic.

You stirred again at the sound of his laugh, almost making him jump.

"oh right. guess i should try to handle this."

He surrounded you in a bubble of magic similar to the one you had seen the night before, gently floating you from your embrace. "heh." He blushed a little at the loss of your warmth. "cute." The cyan faded from his cheeks when he leaned forward to get a closer look at your sleeping face. How had he only just noticed the cuts and bruises on your body? He was disgusted with what could have only been his handiwork.

"see, tori, this is why this whole thing was a bad idea," Sans grunted. He stepped through a shortcut, your unconscious body following through the doorway he had created to Toriel's home.

\-------

"Hello, Sans," she said, without looking up from her book.

"heya tori. still don't get why you keep reading that snail book."

Toriel chuckled, looking up, " _Well_ , I guess you could say that I'm a--"

She didn't finish her joke. "Sans, what are you doing with your wife!?"

"sssshhhh, tori. i can't have her waking up on us. i just need you to heal her so i can bring her home to sleep."

" _ **Fine,**_ " she narrowed her eyes at him. "But this isn't the last we speak of this. As soon as she's safe I want you to come back and tell me what is going on."

"fine. just get it over with, she could wake up any minute." Sans hated the idea of telling Toriel about his nightmares. Unfortunately, she was the only one he knew who could heal you, and for there to be any hope for you to dismiss whatever you had seen as a dream, you couldn't wake up covered in cuts and bruises.

He watched as Toriel's power erased the injuries from your body, his gaze lingering on your face. Your eyelids fluttered as the spell worked and he worried you might wake up, but as the cuts faded your expression turned into a peaceful smile. He blushed, never having seen such an innocent expression on your face. It was very intimate... and very... _nice_. He examined your face slowly, discovering for the first time how beautiful you were.

"OK, I'm done." Toriel's voice brought him back to reality. "You had better remember to come back."

Sans nodded. "thank you for healing her," was all he said before returning through his shortcut.

\-------

Sans laughed softly as he saw the state of your bedclothes. "heh, a little cocoon for a LADY-bug". Another wave of his fingers and the covers came untangled as he set you down from your bubble. He looked pleased with himself. "man, would paps be proud if he saw how neatly i put you to bed." He shook his head. "probably shouldn't mention it to him though, he'll suddenly expect me to be responsible or something." He winked to no one in particular and left you to sleep, quietly closing your door behind him.

Now to clean his own room. Despite how much he would prefer to leave it for someone else to do, he wanted as few people as possible to know about this. He began by using a spell to pick up what was still whole and put it back in its place. To his relief, that left only a few things still on the floor- he hadn't spent enough time in this room to bother with much decorating. He blinked, and a cyan fire began to roar in his fireplace. He used the conjured fire to dispose of the mess that remained, then dismissed it as quickly as he had summoned it. He reviewed his handiwork, pleased. Besides his bed, which lay bare, the place looked as if nothing had happened. Making a quick trip to the house's enormous linen cupboard, he replaced the sheets, pillows and covers he had destroyed.

After they too were arranged into order, Sans took a moment to lay down. Using magic really took it out of him. He hoped Toriel wouldn't mind having to wait another few minutes. He could sure use some time to think about what he needed to say to her. 

His phone rang. Shit, he recognized the number. It was Toriel's. Sans groaned, "i guess she wasn't gonna wait". Grimacing, he clicked the button to answer the call.

" _Hi, Sans._ " The child's voice surprised him.

"uh, hey there frisk. is your mom looking for me?"

" _....Yeah. I talked to her about it. Are you OK?_ " Frisk's voice was filled with concern. He didn't know what to say to that.

" _..... Guess not._ " The child let silence fall for a minute. " _Well, um, if you really don't want to talk about it, that's OK, I can just tell Toriel and---_ "

"nah, kid." Sans cut Frisk off. "gotta put her mind at ease. you know how worried she can get."

" _OK, I guess we'll see you in a couple minutes then._ " The kid said, happily. Sans smiled in spite of himself. He had an idea of what he was going to tell Toriel, so he waved his hand, opening a shortcut back to his friend's house, and took a step through the doorway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does it matter what sans said to toriel? 
> 
> probably not, no...


	6. awawah! papyrus... such a... CUTE!!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> no tems, this is just my brains automatic response whenever i think of papyrus

" _mmmmmmhhmn....._ "

You woke up in your bed, groaning as you stretched. ' _Why am I so sore?_ ' you think to yourself. You begin to massage your hand, when suddenly you begin to remember the events of the previous night.

Shocked into a sitting position, you begin to examine yourself. ' _How is it that I'm not covered in bruises?_ ', you wonder. A brief shiver runs through your body. _**Sans...**_ Though your memory is a bit blurry, there was no forgetting the overwhelming power that had saturated his bedroom, tearing it to pieces. You shudder again, remembering the sensations of Sans' magic whipping at your skin, resisting your touch then almost sucking you in, drowning you.

You shrink back into your covers.

....What had that even _been_? Sans had been asleep the whole time you had been in the room with him. Had he even had any control over what was going on? ' _No_ ', you decide. It had been like he was in a trance, helpless against the pain from whatever was going on in his head. You thought back to your last memories of your mother. ' _Could it be something like that?_ ', you wonder. You remember how long it had taken before things had felt real to you after your mom died. You felt your eyes begin to water a little... that nightmare- or _whatever_ it had been... you hoped that was a one time thing. 

You forced yourself not to think about the alternative. 

\------

You took a look at the clock beside your bed-- _shit_. It was already almost noon, and you had promised Papyrus that you would show him around your family's castle this afternoon. You had even bought a gift for him. Papyrus was never late, you knew you only had ten minutes to get your ass up. You ran over to your closet, picking out the first thing you touched- a strapless, light blue summer dress, then changing into it while stumbling over to your dressing table, where you put on the tiniest bit of makeup and brushed through your hair. A quick glance in the mirror to make sure that you _didn't_ look like you had woken up only five minutes before, and you were off down the hallway.

Papyrus knocked at 12 o'clock sharp. You quickly swallowed the remainder of your breakfast- a freshly baked muffin (thank god for cooks), and let your friend in.

"GOOD AFTERNOON, HUMAN!" Papyrus' enthusiasm always brought a smile to your face. "HOW DO YOU LIKE MY NEW CLOTHES?"

He had changed out of his 'battle body' today, instead wearing a crop top which had the word 'cool' written all over it, along with a pair of denim shorts that were bright orange and some white high tops. The look was.... indescribable.

"You look great, Papyrus!" You grinned at him. "But there's one thing missing..." You grabbed the box you had wrapped his gift in the night before. "Here, open it." You looked up at him expectantly.

His eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. " _WOWIE_ , HUMAN! AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET YOU ANYTHING!"

"That's OK, Pa--" but you were cut off by the shredding of wrapping paper. You couldn't help but giggle a little. He was such a kid.

His eye-sockets widened more than you had thought possible when he saw what was inside.

"IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL, HUMAN." It was a hat. But not just any hat! The finest baseball cap in the kingdom, expertly crafted by the best tailors available, then printed with photographs of spaghetti cooked by The Great Papyrus during his cooking lessons _(author's note: I'm having too much fun writing this stupidity)_.

He put it on immediately, backwards (of course) to demonstrate how cool he was. "HOW DOES IT LOOK ON ME??" Papyrus was already overexcited.

"It looks great!" You gave him a double thumbs up. He blushed bright orange. You flashed a genuine smile. "Do you want to get going?" He nodded with still more enthusiasm. "Awesome! I wanted to stop in the shops in town too, that way we can get you some cool sunglasses to go with your outfit." Papyrus would _love_ that. But also... "I wanted to get something to give Sans, too, but I don't know what he would like. I was hoping you could help."

"FEAR NOT, HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL OF COURSE ASSIST YOU IN PICKING OUT A GIFT FOR SANS! _ALTHOUGH_ HE IS A LAZYBONES, SO I DO NOT KNOW WHY YOU WANT TO GET HIM GIFTS..." Despite his words, his face had lit up when you mentioned buying something for his brother. You smiled. To someone who didn't know the skeleton brothers, it might be hard to see, but to you it was obvious that they loved each other very much. However many times you had seen Sans teasing Papyrus with his bad jokes, or Papyrus grumbling about Sans being a lazybones, there was another when you had seen them playing with Frisk, or watching an MTT special together. Just sitting, peaceful. Happy. You longed for that kind of relationship, but as the King's only child, opportunities to make friends seemed limited. Every one of the human ' _friends_ ' you made over the years always just seemed to be trying to get in good graces with your father. You didn't know or care when you were younger, but your mother's death had made you sick of false condolences and compliments. Truthfully, Papyrus was the closest friend you had ever had. Even though you had really only known him for a month, you trusted him implicitly. The guy was probably the most caring and sincere person on the planet.

"SO, ARE WE GOING TO GET GOING YET?" The ever-eager skeleton looked down at you inquisitively, pulling you back to reality.

You nodded, walking past him to open the door. "Of course!" You smiled. His energy sure was contagious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, not sure about the whole bone-ing thing. this story feels too fluffy...... also i gave writing smut a shot and it didn't turn out very well... if i'm going to write pure trash then i kinda want to keep it separate from this fic.
> 
> idk, maybe i'll try writing smut for this fic but have it in a separate work. maybe nobody cares........ ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	7. it's a beautiful day outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> papyrus bein a cutie pie <3
> 
> also other things too

Papyrus' face turned serious as you approached the castle; he'd wanted to explore the inside at least for as long as you had known him. "AS THE MASCOT OF ALL MONSTERS," he had said, "I INSIST ON KNOWING THE GOINGS ON OF THE HUMAN CASTLE". You could only guess why-- court proceedings and government business had never screamed 'fun' to _fun_ , but watching how excited he was by everything new was worth a little boredom. Plus, it gave you a chance to visit your father, who you'd barely seen since your wedding the month before.

It was about a five minute walk to the castle, and Papyrus spent the whole thing talking about how excited he was, and how he had done research on the kingdom in preparation. He let out a loud "NYEH HEH HEH" when you confirmed that the kingdom's name, Domus, was indeed simply another way of saying 'home'... when you learned why, you laughed too-- what was it with kings and naming things?

The time passed quickly, as it always did when you were with your friend, and soon the two of you were standing outside the castle doors. The guards waved at you and motioned for the gates to open, and just like that, you were inside.

The familiar sight of the entrance hall made you sigh with nostalgia, while the skeleton beside you gasped with excitement.

"WOWIE, HUMAN! I FORGOT HOW BIG IT WAS IN HERE!" You smiled up at him. "WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO FIRST?"

"Well, we could take a look around, but I was hoping that since we're here, we could try to meet with my father--" You were cut off as soon as those words left your mouth.

"OF COURSE! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, ACCEPT THIS QUEST!" And like that, he was off running down the hallway, in search of the king.

You weren't entirely sure of how this qualified as a quest, and even more confused as to why the situation had unfolded this way... but you followed him anyway, as quickly as your dress allowed. You didn't want to miss the expressions of the members of the court and castle staff when they saw a skeleton in a crop top and shorts running through the halls.

\------

Somehow, this quest managed to conclude in you, Papyrus, and your father sitting around the coffee table in his study, drinking tea. Every once in a while, the butler would come inside with news that someone was demanding to know what the hell was going on, but every time your father would simply shake his head-- he wanted to have a chance to spend some time with you. Since the monsters had come here, he had been swamped with planning-- homes, schools, employment... the list went on. He had never been one to delegate tasks like this, even though he could have left the bulk of the work to the court he always wanted to ensure the best possible quality of life for everyone who lived in his kingdom. This was part of why the people of Domus respected him so much... why _you_ respected him. 

You hadn't quite realized how much you had missed him until this moment. You sat back in your chair and sipped on your tea, happy to watch as Papyrus bombarded your father with questions about the operation of the kingdom, all of which he answered with a patient smile. It reminded you a little of yourself as a child, back before your mother had died. You had wanted to grow up and take care of the kingdom just like your parents did. Had it really been so long since then?

You had obviously been off in your own world for a while, because your father asks Papyrus if he wants someone to show him around the castle and suddenly the two of you are alone, your friend gone to explore the secret passages with a young footman.

"It has been a long time since we have been able to spend teatime together, hasn't it darling?" He says, pleased to finally have the opportunity to speak with you. You nod, unsure of what to say. Things had been... strange.... between you two following your engagement.

"Are you happy?"

He is obviously concerned about you. You quickly rearrange your face into what you hope is a reassuring smile. You don't want him to worry. He already had enough on his plate without wondering if he had done the right thing marrying you to Sans.

"Of course I am, dad," you tell him, "just still adjusting, that's all. You can't expect me to be totally settled after only a month." It wasn't a lie, exactly. Sure, Sans hardly spoke with you, but you had Papyrus, at least. Then there was Frisk and Toriel, even though you didn't see them often they counted you as a friend. Even though you missed living in your home, with your dad... you were still happy. It was just different than you had ever expected it to be.

"OK...." He didn't sound completely convinced. You decide to steer the conversation in a lighter direction.

"I'm really glad you like Papyrus, dad. He's the best brother in-law a girl could ask for." You smile, genuinely this time. He returns the expression, his face softening.

"He is certainly a character..." He said, trailing off.

"You've got that right," you smirked for a moment. "But he's the most genuine and caring person I've ever met. You really don't need to worry about me, dad. I have friends to rely on now."

He sat back in his armchair and closed his eyes. Knowing him, he was probably trying not to tear up.

"So", you change the subject, "how's everything? You know, between the humans and the monsters." Your father's manner changed so quickly you nearly mistook him for Papyrus-- he had always been over-enthusiastic about his work. He launched into an explanation of the specifics of his plans for integration, which you only half-listened to, nodding every once in a while. 

You knew a little about what was going on already. Enough of the housing had been completed for almost all the monsters to move from their homes underground to live on the surface. There was a pretty defined line between where the monsters and humans lived, but everyone agreed this made sense given that they were basically a separate kingdom. The relations between the two races had been strained to begin with, but between you marrying Sans, the general kindness of the monsters, and Frisk's almost magical ability to make friends with everyone, most people had come to accept the situation. Monster/human couples had even started to appear, more so now that you were married to Sans.

You smiled as your father continued to enthuse, now about the logistics of underwater houses for water-breathing monsters. It was like this whole thing had opened up a new world for him. Not that you were complaining, it was nice to see him so happy.

\-----

Your father had begun describing how he and Toriel had broken ground on the school they had started building in what was now the middle of the city, when Papyrus returned from his tour of the castle.

"WOWIE, HUMAN! I HAD NO IDEA YOUR CASTLE HAD SO MANY PUZZLES IN IT!" You turned to look questioningly at him. The footman who had shown him the castle stepped out from behind him.

"He's talking about the secret passages." He explained. "Your majesty, may I excused?" This was directed at your father, who waved him off.

You were a little disappointed, having wanted to show him yourself. But it had been nice to see your dad, even if you had spent most of the time listening to him ramble about his job, it was good to know he was happy.

You glanced down at your cell phone screen. 4:06 pm, it read. How long had you been listening to your dad?! You stood up and grabbed Papyrus by his left elbow. "Sorry if it seems a little sudden, but we have to go too dad." You smile apologetically. If you were going to have a chance at buying anything you needed to leave now; it would take at least 15 minutes to walk there even at Papyrus' pace, and most of the stores in the market district closed around 5.

"OH NO! I HADN'T REALIZED IT WAS GETTING SO LATE!" Papyrus turned to the king. "GOODBYE, KING OF THE HUMANS!"

He waved back, a startled expression on his face.

"Bye, dad." You smiled. There seemed to be no subtlety wherever Papyrus was involved. "Gotta go!" .... You couldn't help but wonder if it might be wearing off on you...

\------

Papyrus spent the whole walk talking about his tour through the castle. Apparently they reminded him of his home underground, which you gathered was because the hidden switches and entrances were a lot like the puzzles he created "TO CAPTURE HUMANS!". When you finally reached the market district it was almost 4:30. The walk had been longer than you'd anticipated; so you grabbed Papyrus by his elbow again and led him to one of the clothing stores. One of those brands that were 'world famous' and often sold cringe-worthy graphic tees. From the few times you'd been in there you knew they also sold quite a selection of sunglasses.

"WOWIE! THESE SUNGLASSES ARE ALL SO COOL, HUMAN!" He immediately began picking pairs off the display, trying them on in front of a nearby mirror.

Meanwhile, you let your gaze wander around the store to where the 'casual' clothes were-- loose fitting sweatpants and t-shirts which you gazed at longingly. Your dress wasn't the most comfortable thing you owned, and you were suddenly very aware of how the straps were cutting into your shoulders, the way the waist of the thing itched... you needed out. You had begun to walk over to them when Papyrus looked over your way, a pair of shutter shades in hand.

"WHAT KIND OF SUNGLASSES ARE THESE?" The question hung in the air. Then, out of nowhere, "YOU DON'T NEED MY HELP AT ALL!"

You turned around, confused look on your face. 

"YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT GIFTS MY BROTHER WOULD LIKE! THAT LAZYBONES LOVES THAT KIND OF CLOTHES!"

"Oh. I had no idea.... my clothes are just really uncomfortable."

Papyrus' eye-sockets widened, first in understanding, then with excitement.

"HUMAN. WE. ARE. GOING. TO GET YOU TWO MATCHING CLOTHES!!"

You could feel the blush across your cheeks. That was.... geez... you had only suggested buying Sans something because, well, he had obviously had a bad time last night. You felt for the short skeleton, and you hadn't exactly been the warmest to him. But this?? Matching clothes... god. How old were you, like two?? You started to protest, but Papyrus was already rushing past you to start picking out cute t-shirts and sweats.

... I mean, at least they they would be comfortable?? The thought provided little comfort (oh god was that a pun), and all you could do was stand there and watch as Papyrus picked through the clothes.

Oblivious to your embarrassment, Papyrus continued to search until he found what he was looking for. He returned carrying two matching pairs of grey sweatpants and graphic tees for the two of you, which he held up in turn so you could take a closer look. The shirt he had picked out for Sans was kinda perfect given what you knew about him, imprinted with a classic skull and crossbones design and the words ' _Bad to the BONE_ '. You felt the blush return to your face when he held the other, which pictured skeletal hands cupped over where breasts would fit. It was one of those things that wouldn't have meant anything to you before the monsters came to the surface. Now, on the other hand, well... 

"ARE YOU OK, HUMAN? YOUR FACE IS ALL RED. DO YOU HAVE A FEVER??"

"N-no, I'm fine," you quickly assured him, "It's just hot in here. Um--" You're about to ask Papyrus to get you another t-shirt, but you don't want to be the one to explain human anatomy and intimacy to him. Especially not in public. He seemed to only be capable of shouting.

"ALRIGHTY. SHALL I GO PAY FOR THESE ARTICLES OF CLOTHING?" You want to protest, but instead you just nod and watch as he buys the clothes. It's not like you couldn't just bury the shirt in your closet.

The two of you decide to grab some dinner before you head home for the night, so you walk over to your favourite Italian restaurant-- the only place nearby that serves spaghetti. Predictably, this is what Papyrus orders. You decide on the _pollo alla cacciatora_ *, somewhat tired of pasta (though you would never tell Papyrus). While you're waiting for your food, you realize that you had forgotten to get Papyrus a pair of sunglasses. You begin to apologize, but he _NYEH-HEH-HEH_ s and says it just means you'll have to go exploring with him again.

Your stomach growls when the food arrives, surprising the both of you. You hadn't realized until just now hungry you are. One bite of the braised chicken and you're in heaven, giving a little satisfied moan as your mouth is overcome with deliciousness. You begin to devour your food, but your pace is no match for that of the Great Papyrus. His plate has been cleared and taken away by the time you had finished half of yours.

You only take a couple more bites before feeling full, so you offer Papyrus the rest of your food, which he takes tentatively. Upon tasting it, he changes his tune to one of excitement, and even says he might want to make something other than pasta based food. You tell him you can talk to his teacher about it, but he replies that he still needs to think about it. 

You decide to change the subject, asking him to finish telling you a story he had started the other day, about when Sans had bought his trombone. He frowns at the word, but resumes storytelling, finishing with a groan when he recalled how his brother had stopped playing the instrument only hours after buying it. You laugh, both at the story and at Papyrus' annoyed expression, but stop when his expression shifts to one of reservation.

He obviously wants to ask a question, but isn't sure if he should.

"What's on your mind, Papyrus?" You ask, quietly but with a smile on your face. You don't want him to feel uncomfortable.

"WELL... DO YOU MIND TELLING ME WHY YOU SUDDENLY WANT TO GIVE SOMETHING TO MY BROTHER?" You give him a confused look. "IT SEEMED LIKE THE TWO OF YOU WEREN'T VERY GOOD FRIENDS. HAS SOMETHING CHANGED?" You hadn't expected a question like this from Papyrus. Evidently, he wasn't as oblivious as he seemed. You couldn't just tell him something so vague as 'he had a bad time last night'.

A thought struck you. What if--?

" _Papyrus,_ " you whispered, " _does Sans ever have nightmares?_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, i did indeed just google italian food to find out what a pollo alla cacciatora is. in case you're curious feel free to look at this wikipedia page, like me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacciatore
> 
> or don't, it doesn't really matter anyway
> 
> oh yeah, also the kingdom's name is home in latin. i'm kind of like asgore when it comes to naming things.
> 
> totally random, but have you ever imagined asgore and toriel coming up with asriel's name? i like to think that toriel just sat and glared at him as he awkwardly tried to think something up... or something. poor asgore T_T

**Author's Note:**

> why no capitals in the notes? bc i got sick of actually paying attention to whether i'm writing properly.


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